Defeating Writer's Block

If you're a writer, I think it's safe to assumed that at one time or another, you've experienced writer's block. And that you hated it. And if you haven't, please, tell me your secret!

Writer's block is the writer's worst enemy. Often, it comes out of nowhere at the worst times. While you're trying to write, it tries to keep you from writing.

I know I've suffered from it on several occasions. Since the phenomenon isn't going to stop existing anytime soon, instead of waiting for it to go away, we must make it go away. After all, who's story is this? Yours or writer's block? So, how does one defeat writer's block? Well, there are several ways to overcome it.

Take a break

That's right. Writer's block can be eliminated by the simple task of taking a writing break. If you've been hard at it for a while, when writer's block strikes, the best strategy is sometimes just to do something else until it goes away, realizing it's not bothering you. Do something that isn't writing. After you've given yourself a couple of hours, even a whole day if you must, come back to your writing and try again. You may find that giving your brain a break gets it fueled up and ready to work again.

Read

You may be surprised to find that reading can help end writer's block, but it can and has and I'm confident it will do it again. So read. Read whatever. Just focusing for a while one someone else's writing, can help you get out of writer's block. If you read something you like, it can be a source of inspiration. For me, that would be good classic novel, poetry, or something I can relate to. Honestly, though, even reading something I don't like can help. I'll read something I think is stupid and be like 'I can do better than this," and then I go do just that. The point is just to read whatever you think will help you. But don't read looking for inspiration, let inspiration find you.

Don't procrastinate

Taking a break and procrastinating might sound similar but they are two very different things. Taking  a break is giving your mind the time off that it needs while procrastinating is avoiding the writing. That doesn't end writer's block, it helps it. The more you avoid writing, the worse your writer's block can become. Sometimes it helps to force yourself to write, even when you feel like you can't.

Write something else

Working on another writing project is often a good idea because you're getting ideas out, even if it's not for your main work. If you don't have another project in the works, then just open a blank document and start writing. Don't worry about content or anything. Whatever comes out is what you need to write down. It will help get your ideas flowing.

Keep a writing schedule

Make a schedule and stick to it. Write for thirty minutes, an hour, two hours, whatever you feel is best for you and then stop. Even if you're on a roll, even in you want to finish your paragraph. Just stop writing. Take a fifteen minute break. Make some tea or coffee. Come back to your project and start writing again. Having a schedule and not overdoing yourself is a great way to beat writer's block.

Listen to music

If you're really stuck and nothing is working for you, try listening to some music. Relax your mind and let the music and lyrics do their thing. It's pretty easy. Just relax and hear the music then try writing again. Music is inspirational and can be a great help in getting over writer's block.

Get rid of distractions

You are not going to be able to write if you have a bunch of distractions around you. So, get rid of them. Yes, this means turning off your phone. The internet is also a huge distraction, so turn that off too. Time can be a distraction. If you don't feel like you have time, or you're in a hurry, it distracts you from writing. Make time to write so you don't feel pressured. If clutter distracts you, tidy up around the space you'll be writing. Getting rid of distractions is more help than it sounds like, so don't skip this one!

Do something creative

Yes, writing is creative, but when you've got writer's block, it's the hardest thing in the world to do so be creative some other way. Write poetry, compose a song, paint, draw, play around with Photoshop, create your own recipe, build something, design your own outfit. If it's creative, do it. Once you have your creative juices flowing again, go back to writing and see what a difference it made.

Glass of water technique

This is something I learned from Writer's Digest. I've never tried it so I can't exactly vouch for it, but they say it works every time, but you'll have to try it out for yourself. If all else fails, this method might be worth a shot. The idea is fill a glass of water before you go to bed and then hold it up and speak an intention to it (like "I intend to write to the best of my ability tomorrow. I will at my best and my word choice will be excellent"....."I'll resolve my story's issues in my sleep" < -- their suggestion). Something like that. Then you drink half the glass and set it on your nightstand. When you wake up, immediately drink the other half and start writing for at least an hour. They suggest trying this for three nights. It sounds a bit strange to me, but hey, if it works it works!


These are, of course, not the only ways to defeat writer's block. There are many more techniques out there, you just need to find the ones that work for you. The important thing is not to give in to writer's block. Don't let it win! Writer's block haunts every writer, so don't feel bad when you get a particularly tough case of it. It happens. You just need to know how to deal with it when it strikes. Give these methods a try. Hopefully, they will work for you, but if they don't, don't be discouraged, there are a hundred more ways out there! 
 

Creating Your Villain

Every story needs an antagonist. Otherwise, your story isn't going to be a very good story. If you want your antagonist to be an actual person, then you are going to need to create a villain. Which can be difficult but creating a villain is one of my favorite things about writing.

After you've decided who your villain is, you need to figure out why he/she is the villain. What is this person doing that is making things difficult for your protagonist? Why is your villain a villain? Are they evil or just misunderstood? What is their goal?

Those are just a few questions you'll have to answer if you want to create a good, strong villain.

A lot of people don't put enough thought into their villain when creating the character. They just know the story needs a bad guy so they put in a character who just does bad things for no particular reason and there's no depth to the character, making the villain not very believable. Your villain is just as human as your protagonist. They have a story, you're just not telling it.

The first thing I do when I sit down to create my villain is decide what kind of villain they are. This is important to know because all villains aren't the same. If you don't know what kind of villain you have, the character will be one huge mess that no one, not even you, can understand. Here are what I feel are the more common type of villains.

Born Bad
Whatever it is that makes your villain a villain, it's important that he/she isn't just the bad guy. There has to be a reason the bad guy is bad. If your villain was just born bad it can come across as lazy writing. Unless you need the villain to be born bad because it goes with your plot, then my suggestion would be to avoid this option, unless you can do it really well. Being born bad doesn't really give your villain reasons or motivation for anything. It's just who they are, suggesting they can't be changed.

Inherently Evil
The inherently evil villain is a mix between born bad and the one with a history. Unlike the born bad villain who does bad things because he/she is bad or because your story needs a bad guy, the inherently evil villain is evil because their moral compass just doesn't work. They are evil because they don't know anything else. Maybe they were taught it was the correct path since they were young. Their parents were corrupt, so they were raised in a corrupted way. Perhaps they get pleasure from seeing others suffer or inflicting pain and misery on individuals. They're not bad because they're bad, they're bad because their brain is wired differently.

Insane
This type of villainy is intriguing and exciting to read because you know there is nothing your villain won't do. It also makes for an interesting character. Like the Joker from Batman. This gives your villain a reason for their villainy without creating the history of what made them evil. A psychotic character is always interesting when written well. Almost like their evilness is a disease that has them under control. Their evil stems from nothing except the disease in their brain.

A History
The villain in my current novel has a history that changed him into the villain he is, and that's also a good way to create the villain because it forces you to really understand your villain and where they are coming from, enabling you to write a character with layers for your reader to uncover and one that will involve them. Giving your villain a past will show the reader that there was a series of events that happened to this character to make him/her become a villain. You don't need to write the villain's backstory for the reader (although it can help if you do it for yourself) but you do need to make it clear that the villain is human and has a past.

Misunderstood
Maybe your villain isn't evil at all and is just a misunderstood character. They are opposed by your protagonist, but, really, aren't any more of an actual villain than you or I. For example, say someone was writing a story about a kid in high school who gets bullied. In your story, the bully would be the villain, but the bully isn't evil. It's just another kid. The "villain" is the person who stands between the protagonist and their goal and while they may not be an evil person, they are the evil the protagonist must ultimately overcome by either defeating or befriending. Sometimes your protagonist is the villain to your villain.

Perhaps you know of other types of villains and that's great. Like I said, this is just the information I've gathered over the years and how I tackle the writing process. These are the villains I commonly choose from. They're not categorized how professionals do, but this is how I categorize them.

Once you've figured out what kind of villain you have, you need to know why they are the villain. What does your villain want? What is their goal? How does their goal conflict with the goal of your protagonist?

When you know what your villain wants, you need to decide how they go about obtaining it. If it doesn't conflict with your protagonist, you need to find another way for your villain to try and get what they want.

One thing you need to keep in mind is that your villain has to be good. They have to be a genius, or exceptionally strong, or have some unique quality that makes them a difficult opponent. If your villain is weak and shallow, then so is your story because your villain provides conflict and without conflict, there's no story.

How to Really Interview Your Characters

What is your character's favorite color? Favorite food? Favorite music group? Favorite book?

After you answer the above questions, ask yourself how much better you know your character than you did before answering those questions.

Now answer this one:
What is your character's biggest fear?

Which questions gave you more insight? The first four, or the last one? For me, it would be the last one. You, as the writer and creator, need to know your characters on a deep, intimate level, and figuring out their favorite color just doesn't give you the information you need to write them well.

Nearly everyone suggests that you interview your character so you can make sure you really know them inside and out and it's a good idea. But some of the questions they say you should ask really aren't that helpful. I've seen so many articles about interviewing characters that suggest finding out your character's favorite color and school subject. Find out their favorites. I keep seeing that. But, honestly, that's never helped me. Knowing whether or not my character likes to play sports doesn't really help me understand my character.

So, my advice? Ignore all the questions asking what soda your character likes to drink. Nobody needs to know that. Not even you. At least not right now. In fact, if I'm not coming up with my own questions and I'm using a list created by someone else, I generally ignore every question that uses the word "favorite". Only ask questions that will help you discover who your character truly is.

The way I see it, you can't really get to know your character if you're not asking the right questions. So, what are the right questions? Well, the good news is, you're not limited to any specific questions that are the "right" ones. Whatever will help you understand your character are the questions you need to be asking them.

If you're unsure about what questions you should be asking, here's some questions I use to give you an idea. Or, if you feel so inclined, you are welcome to use these exact questions when you sit down with you character and give them the interview.

1. Are you an optimist, a pessimist or a realist?

2. What is your biggest fear?

3. What do you think happens to us when we die?

4. Do you believe in God? Why or why not?

5. What is your view on spirituality?

6. If you had to shoot your best friend to save your own life, would you? What if you had to shoot a stranger?

7. What is your goal in life?

8. How do you decide what is right and what is wrong?

9. What are your insecurities?

10. What is your political position?

11. Do you have any problems with self-esteem?

12. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

13. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

14. Are you afraid of change?

15.  If a stranger walked up to you and said if you left everything you knew and loved behind and followed him, you would get the best life has to offer, would you do it?

16. Are you a leader, or a follower?

17. Someone hands you a knife to defend yourself against an animal. What do you do?

18. A rich man offers you a million dollars if you steal something for him. Do you accept?

19. Who or what are your enemies and why are they your enemies?

20. How much do you value honesty?

21. What is your biggest regret?

22. Do you have any secrets? What are they?

23. What motivates you?

24. Do you think education is important?

These are just a few questions you might want to consider asking your characters. You don't have to use all of them, or any of them. I don't even use all of them every time. It depends on my character, usually. But you need to understand that the questions don't give you an understanding of your character all by themselves. They do have the half the work, but the other bit comes from your character's answers. So I highly recommend you avoid using just yes or no to answer these questions whenever possible. Be as detailed as you possibly can to give yourself as much knowledge about your character as you can. You need to know your characters better than your readers ever will. If you don't know them inside out, you can't write them realistically. That's why I always try to include questions that can't be answered with a simple yes or no. That doesn't give you much insight.

These sorts of questions are better than the simple 'what's your favorite movie' type of questions because they make your character look inside themselves and get into the deeper parts of their personalities to find the answers. It helps you to understand who they truly are. Once you have these questions figured out, then you ask them about their favorite color.

It's Called a Rough Draft For a Reason

If there's one thing I've learned about writing, it's that rough draft is an excellent name for the first draft of your book. Because, let's face it, getting all that out of your system is rough and reading it after you're done with the first draft is rough and it's written very roughly. Writing the first draft is a rough road, not a smooth one. So, rough just about describes it.

If you're anything like me, when you're writing your rough draft, you wish once you've completed the rough draft, you're done. That you wrote everything perfectly and there would be no need for any changes anywhere and it's ready to published and will catch the eye of the first publisher or agent you send it to. But we all know it doesn't work like that.

Also, if you're like me, while you're working on the rough draft, you're sitting there thinking "Man, I'm such a great writer. This is amazing. It doesn't need any changes, it's perfect! I'm so brilliant getting it right on the first go." Then, when you read it after you've finished, you're thinking "Oh, gosh! This is awful! I can't have written this terrible stuff. Where is that amazing story I wrote?"

My friends, the rough draft is absolutely necessary to show us how much is still left to do after we've finished the first draft. And it's not pretty. It's not supposed to be pretty. If your rough draft looks like you just vomited out a bunch of words onto some pages, congratulations! You've mastered the rough draft!

So, without further ado, here's how I tackle the rough draft.

1. Just spit it out
Spit it out. That's basically it. The rough draft is just for the purpose of getting your story from you head to the paper. It's not about writing a carefully crafted novel. Don't worry about anything other than getting the words onto the page. Accept that it's going to be ugly. No one writes  a pretty rough draft. If your rough draft isn't ugly, you did it wrong.

2. Whatever you do, don't edit
This is important. Don't edit your story while writing the rough draft, no matter how much you want to. If you're editing it as you go, you're getting ahead of yourself and not focusing on getting your story out, which is what you're supposed to be focusing on. It's okay to correct a misspelled word here and there, but don't go crazy. Don't fix dialogue or fill in missing plot holes. You'll have time for that. If you notice something that really needs to be edited, don't panic and don't fix it yet! Just make a note to come back and fix that part. Just relax. There is a time and place for editing, but it's not yet.

3. Take your time
Don't hurry with the rough draft. You don't have to get it out in one sitting. This process takes time. It's not a race against the clock. Go slow if you need to, your story will wait for you. Just remember to breathe. Take a nap between chapters. Write a chapter then take a break for a week. This process is rough enough without you feeling pressured to get the story out in a hurry. This book is your creation and you don't want to write it in a hurry. Slow and steady wins the race, my friends.

4. Once you've finished, forget about it
No, I don't want you to completely forget about the book you spent so much time on after you've finished the rough draft. What I mean is once you've gotten all the words out, take a lengthy break. Don't read or even think about your book for at least a week (many people recommend a month, and that's a good idea, but I usually can't wait that long). After all that messy writing, you need to occupy your mind with something else. I'm serious. Don't even look at your rough draft. Once you've taken some crucial time away from your book, when you look at it again, you will have a clear mind and fresh eyes and will be far more capable of noticing things that need to be fixed than you would if you'd started revising right after you finished the rough draft.

It's not much, but hopefully it's somewhat helpful. If you're writing a novel for the first time and really have no idea what you're doing, then maybe this gave you some ideas and, if so, I'm glad. It may not be how the professionals do it, but it's how I do it and it's worked out so far.

Just don't give up on your story. It's rough and there will be times you want to quit, but it will be worth it in the end. Just spit out that rough draft and then you're halfway done. Write that ugly first draft and be proud of it!

I'm An Average Writer

I am not a professional writer by any stretch of the imagination. I have never had anything published, never sent a query letter, never tried to have anything published. Never completely finished a writing project. But that doesn't stop me.

I love to write and I do it often.  I have several projects I'm currently working on, but my priority is a novel I've written that is still in its revision stages that I hope to have published. So, yeah, I'm not a professional writer, but I am a writer.

My aim with this blog is meet other crazy writers like myself who sit staring at their computer screen struggling with writer's block, who constantly have ideas for stories popping into their head at the most inconvenient times, who watch people to find new and creative characters, and drink lots and lots of coffee.

I'm just a young adult trying to complete a novel and I know there must be at least one more out there.

I can't give you the great advice of the professional writer's who keep blogs and know how to create publish-able works. And I really can't help you if you don't write fiction. Though I can't give professional advice, I have learned a few things along the way and I'm happy to share them with you and would love for you to join me on my writing journey.